asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that 600 tractors were recently purchased in the United States of America by the Soviet Government on behalf of the Ukrainian Republic, that these tractors have already been disposed of to the cultivators in Ukraine, that it has been decided to place a further order in the United States of America, and in view of the importance of securing similar orders for Great Britain, His Majesty's Government will extend the scope of the Trade Facilities Acts to trade between Great Britain and Russia?

I have nothing to add to the answer which the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for the Western Isles (Mr. Livingstone) on 1st April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of synthetic indigo imported into this country by licence under the Dyestuffs Act in the years 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924?

The quantities of synthetic indigo imported under licence were, in 1921, nil; in 1922, 5,114 cwt.; in 1923, 8,274 cwt. and in 1924, nil.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of firms in this country engaged in the lace and embroidery trade in the year 1920 and in the present year; and whether he can give the number of firms who have gone out of business during that period owing to bankruptcy, arrangements with creditors, or having to discontinue business owing to bad trade?

I have no information as to the total number of firms engaged in this trade in the years mentioned, or as to what number have discontinued business owing to bad trade. The total number of lace and embroidery manufacturers in respect of whom receiving orders were made or deeds of arrangement executed during the years 1920 to 1924, inclusive, was 40.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of machines established in the embroidery industry of this country; and whether he has any information as to the number of machines engaged in the same industry in Switzerland, Germany and France?

The Lace Embroidery and Silk Committee appointed by the Board of Trade in 1923 stated in their Report that there were in this country rather more than 300 shuttle machines, and between 400 and 500 hand machines. They were informed that there were in Switzerland in 1920 about 5,300 shuttle machines and 7,960 hand machines, and in Saxony about 6,000 shuttle machines. I have no information as to the number of machines in other parts of Germany or in France.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the total monthly exports from this country have increased or decreased since 1st November, 1924; and what are the figures of the increase or decrease?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to page 1 of the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom, February, 1925 (H.C. 13–1), a copy of which can be consulted in the Library. I think he will find there the information he desires.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that there is a considerable delay in passing goods through the customs in the Argentine; that this delay amounts to from four to five months after the goods have arrived; that Sheffield manufacturers have been instructed not to send goods by parcel post owing to the serious delay in getting the parcels through the customs; and whether steps can be taken to obviate this difficulty?

I have received representations with regard to parcels post traffic, and His Majesty's Minister at Buenos Aires is being requested by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to look into it and report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities of silk hosiery, artificial and pure silk, respectively, imported into this country during the year 1924; and if he can state what proportion of the pure silk hosiery imports came from the United States of America?

Except in the case of cotton and woollen hosiery, the declarations required to be made by importers of hosiery do not include a statement of the material of which the goods are made. I am, accordingly, not in a position to give separate figures of silk hosiery and of hosiery of artificial silk, respectively. The imports of hosiery of materials other than cotton and wool amounted in 1924 to

Stockings and hose (doz. Pairs)	1,015,154
Underwear (dozens)	60,243
Fancy hosiery (dozens)	294,962

I am not able to furnish the information asked for in the second part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will invite from local authorities, manufacturers' associations, and trades unions proposals for the establishment of new industries in areas suffering from abnormal unemployment; and whether he will compile an official list of local authorities who are prepared to offer special facilities for the development of new industries in their district?

While I appreciate the desire of the hon. Member to increase employment, I think the chief objective should be to secure more trade for existing factories and works which are so far short of their full capacity. I doubt, therefore, whether action on the lines suggested would be of value.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give preference to applications, under the Trade Facilities Act, which have for their object the establishment of new industries in areas suffering from prolonged and abnormal unemployment?

The Advisory Committee who consider applications for guarantees under the Trade Facilities Act pay very special attention to the state of unemployment in the industries and localities which will be affected by any proposed guarantee and, other things being equal, always prefer to recommend a guarantee for a district or an industry which is suffering from prolonged find abnormal unemployment.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed boys, girls and women, respectively, on the live registers of the Tipton Employment Exchange?

On 30th March there were on the registers of the Tipton Employment Exchange, 21 boys, 39 girls and 313 women.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed boys, girls, and women, respectively, on the live registers of the Darlaston Employment Exchange?

On 30th March there were on the registers of the Darlaston Employment Exchange 8 boys, 8 girls and 128 women.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the recent action of the Ministry of Labour with regard to the payment of unemployment benefit has resulted in an additional charge on the parish of Bermondsey of nearly £600 per week consequent upon men disqualified for unemployment pay being compelled to seek Poor Law relief during the last few weeks; that the guardians have been obliged to increase the poor rate by 3d. in the £ and that a further increase is anticipated in the future; and whether he will assist poverty-stricken boroughs like Bermondsey by taking the necessary action to augment the amount payable from the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund?

My right hon. Friend has not previously had before him the figures quoted by the hon. Member, but on his present information he sees no sufficient reason for amending in the manner proposed the provisions of the Local Government (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1924, which govern the administration of the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is the intention of the Government to appoint a woman as a fully-accredited delegate to the International Labour Conference to be held at Geneva in May?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 2nd April to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester West (Mr. Pethick-Lawrence), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the large number of small traders who cannot afford to have their circulars printed, and who are at a disadvantage owing to the printed paper rates, which are that a top copy of the same circular is charged three times as much as the carbon copies taken at the same time; and, in view of this fact, will he consider a revision of the rules?

I regret that I can add nothing to my answer to the hon. and gallant Member's previous question on this subject on the 3rd of March.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the British Broadcasting Company publishes a journal called the "Radio Times," and that this journal contains literary matter and advertisements as well as programmes if he has any information as to the profits earned by this journal; what becomes of these profits; and is he aware that the "Radio Times" is advertised over the wireless every Friday?

The profits of the "Radio Times" are divided between the British Broadcasting Company and the publishers, and the amounts accruing to the company are included in their revenue accounts, which are subject to Post Office audit and to the general conditions of their licence.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the danger by the use of asphalt on main roads, and complaints which have been made, both by motorists and horse owners; and whether he will consider the advisability of the use of a slightly roughened surface in the interests of all concerned?

Through my Department's staff the attention of highway authorities is constantly being drawn to the need for precautions against the risks that may arise from too smooth a road surface, and various expedients are being adopted to improve the foothold where necessary. Should the Roads Improvement Bill become law, I shall welcome the opportunity of conducting experiments on this and kindred matters affecting road users.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will cause a special investigation to be held respecting the serious and dangerous increase of heavy traffic at the area of the Elephant and Castle, S.E.; whether he is aware that at this point there is generally a procession of omnibuses and other heavy vehicles, thus preventing safe passage across the road; and whether he will con- sider the imposition of a special speed limit within the area of this dangerously congested spot?

As I informed the hon. and gallant Member on the 9th March, the traffic conditions in the immediate neighbourhood of the Elephant and Castle are the subject of investigation by the London Traffic Advisory Committee at the present time. The improvement of traffic conditions at this point presents considerable difficulties, and I do not think that I can take any action pending the receipt of the Committee's advice in the matter. I may say, however, that in my opinion the enforcement of a special speed limit in this area would be almost impossible.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of arterial roads have been constructed with the financial help of the London County Council; what has been their total cost; how much financial help has been given by the London County Council; what is the largest number of unskilled men recruited from the Tavistock Employment Exchange that has been employed at any one time on these roads; and how many were employed thereon in February?

111⅔ miles of arterial roads have been or are being constructed in Greater London with the financial assistance of the London County Council; the total estimated cost of these roads is approximately £8,500,000, towards which the Council is contributing £1,802,000; the largest number of unskilled men obtained through the -TavistOck Street Employment Exchange and employed on any one day was 6,139 on the 22nd June, 1922; during February, 1925, the average daily number of these men recruited from the same source was 1,305, and in respect of the week ending 26th March, 1925, the number was 1,623.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the serious breakdown on the electric railway between Balham and Victoria on the 1st April; whether he proposes to hold inquiries into such accidents; whether he has taken steps to obtain an authoritative estimate from experts of the comparative merits of the live-wire and live-rail systems of electrification; and why the live-wire system has lately been extended in disregard of the fact that the live-rail is the standard system of electrification for railways in the London area?

With regard to the first part of this question, failures of motive power, or temporary dislocations of service, which do not cause, and are not likely to cause, personal injury, are not within my powers of inquiry. As regards the second part, my hon. Friend will see from the Interim. Report of the Electrification of Railways Advisory Committee, which fully investigated the system of electrification for this country in 1920, that the extension of the overhead conductor system on the Brighton Section of the Southern Railway is in accordance with the views of that Committee. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of this Report.

asked the Home Secretary the number of motorists who have been summoned in the year 124 for leaving their cars in centres which have originally been approved by the Commissioner of Police and subsequently been changed without any public notification having been made?

32 persons were summoned for leaving cars in Sackville Street and Albemarle Street, W., after those places had been withdrawn from the Commissioner's list, but notice of the withdrawal was given in the manner explained in reply to the previous question and, moreover, a constable was posted at the places in question, for a period, to warn persons against leaving their cars there.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in the event of any alterations being made in these centres, a public pronouncement will be made on this subject in order to guide motorists as to their future use?

The Commissioner's practice has been to notify allocation of a parking place to the Royal Automobile Club, the Automobile Asso- ciation and the principal business houses, hotels and clubs in the vicinity. Any withdrawal from the list is notified in the same way. As the hon. and gallant Member is aware, the allocation of parking places for private cars is included in the scope of the London Traffic Act and the whole question has been referred to the Advisory Committee by the Minister of Transport.

asked the Home Secretary the parking centres in the Metropolitan district which have been allocated by the Commissioner of Police for the convenience of private car owners?

My right hon. Friend is sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the list issued by the Commissioner.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of accidents and collisions which have occurred between motor vehicles during the year 1924 at the crossing of the roads at the Elephant, S.E., Manor Place and Walworth Road, S.E., and Great Dover Street and Borough High Street, S.E., respectively; and whether he proposes to take any steps to warn drivers by fixing notices or by having extra constables on duty at these spots?

The number of accidents and collisions known to the Police to have occurred between motor vehicles (including tramcars) during the year 1924, at the crossings of roads mentioned are:

Place.	Accidents.	Collisions.
Elephant and Castle	30	80
Manor Place and Walworth Road.	11	18
Gt. Dover Street and Borough High Street.	6	19

The question of warning notices is one for the local authority; and, with the present strength of the Force, it is impossible to spare additional men for these and other spots.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Depart- ment what special arrangements were made or proposed by the representative delegation of the overseas settlement in respect to the supervision necessary for the welfare of emigrants to Australia under the Government-assisted scheme?

The welfare arrangements for assisted migrants to Australia include provision for reception on arrival, placing in employment, and subsequent supervision and after-care. Special care is necessary in the case of women and juveniles. Details of the present position, together with the recommendations of the delegates, will be found in Sections III, VI, VIII and X of the Report of the Delegation (Cmd. 2132), a copy of which is attached for the hon. Member's information.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has any information relating to the number of persons who have received Government assistance in their emigration to Australia and, finding the conditions contrary to their expectations, have returned to this country?

No, Sir; but careful inquiries show that the majority of those who return from Australia do so for the purpose of temporary visits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in connection with the grant of £80,000 recently made for school buildings in Kenya Colony, if he can state the number of European school children in that Colony?

The following figures are taken from the Kenya Census report of 1921:

EUROPEAN CHILDREN.
Age.				Boys.	Girls.
0–5	…	…	…	462	426
5–9	…	…	…	357	359
10–14	…	…	…	203	235
15–19	…	…	…	213	199

Later figures are not available, but it may be assumed that the number of school age is not now less than the number under 9 years in 1921—that is, 819 boys and 785 girls.

asked the Home Secretary how much opium was purchased by factories in Great Britain during the year 1924; how much morphia; how much heroin; how much codeine was manufactured by the manufacturers in Great Britain during 1924; and haw much of each of these narcotics was sent abroad?

The compilation of the statistics for 1924 is not yet completed, and I am able at the present moment to give only the figures of manufacture asked for which must be regarded as provisional. They are as follows:

				Ozs.
Morphine	…	…	…	99,400
Heroin	…	…	…	16,700
Codeine	…	…	…	153,300

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the decisions of the Stipendiary's Court at Pontypridd and the Borough Magistrates' Courts at Leek and Banbury that the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1910, which permits a licence-holder to entertain his bona fide friends after closing time and to treat them in non-permitted hours to alcoholic liquor, does not apply to managers of licensed premises, although their home is on such licensed premises; and whether he will introduce a short Amendment Bill to remove this distinction?

My attention has been called to these cases, but I regret that I am not prepared to introduce legislation on this subject.

asked the Home Secretary the number of persons sentenced to death, and whether men or women, each year since 1800; and the number of cases each in which the death penalty has been exacted?

I regret that I am not in a position to furnish the information asked for; but I can furnish the following figures for the years 1901 to 1924, inclusive:

STATEMENT of the Numbers of Men and Women sentenced to Death in England and Wales from 1901 to 1924 inclusive, with the Numbers executed.
Year.		Persons sentenced.		Persons executed.
		Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.
1901	…	26	2	15	—
1902	…	28	5	22	—
1903	…	37	4	24	3
1904	…	26	9	16	—
1905	…	31	1	17	—
1906	…	24	3	9	—
1907	…	20	1	9	1
1908	…	23	2	13	—
1909	…	27	4	18	—
1910	…	24	4	16	—
1911	…	26*	5	16	—
1912	…	24	1	13	—
1913	…	24	4	16	—
1914	…	21*†	3	14	—
1915	…	18‡	3	12	—
1916	…	12	5	8	—
1917	…	14‡	2	9	—
1918	…	17	7	10	—
1919	…	19	5	12	—
1920	…	32	3	21	—
1921	…	10	3	5	—
1922	…	30‡	4	20	1
1923	…	19	2	11	—
1924	…	13‡	1	9	—
* One conviction quashed on appeal.
† One sentence quashed on appeal and prisoner ordered to be detained as a criminal lunatic.
‡ One conviction quashed on appeal, a verdict of manslaughter being substituted.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the sale of game and other wild birds during the breeding season in our shops; and whether, in view of the cruelty this practice must cause, even in the case of birds from foreign countries, and the waste of valuable bird-life, he will introduce legislation to prevent the continuation of this practice?

My right hon. Friend's attention has been called to this matter, and he hopes to be in a position to make a definite statement on Thursday.

asked the Home Secretary whether the public records removed from Wales since the passing of the Public Records Act, 1838, are still preserved in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane; and, if so, when it is proposed to carry out the unanimous recommendation of the Royal Commission on Public Records that. His Majesty's Government should take steps for the transfer of the records formerly preserved in the principality of Wales to a record office for Wales?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I should not be prepared to recommend the transfer of these records elsewhere if any increased expenditure of public money would be involved. In any case, I understand that opinion is by no means unanimous on the very important points, first, whether removal from London would make the documents more accessible to those who desire to consult them and, secondly, what place in Wales should be chosen to receive them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if his attention has been drawn to the accident on the stairs leading out of the Central Hall which occurred on Friday last; and if he is now prepared to have rails fixed?

I regret that I cannot regard the incident referred to by the hon. Member as a justification for altering my previous decision.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that an East Ham tradesman was recently prosecuted at the East Ham Police Court for effecting a sale, at the request of an agent of the shops' inspector, after closing hours; and if he will state to the House whether he proposes to take any action to prevent public officials tempting tradesmen to break the law for the purpose of enforcing the law?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I am informed that the East Ham Town Council, which is responsible for the enforcement of the Shops Acts in the borough, has had great difficulty with a certain section of shopkeepers who, notwithstanding cautions and prosecutions, have repeatedly evaded the law, and that in the case in question complaints had been received from other shops in the same trade that the law was being disregarded. Special circumstances may make it necessary to employ an agent for the purpose of obtaining evidence, and on the facts stated my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the action of the local authorities was quite justified.

asked the Minister of Health the amount raised in rates by all the local authorities in the country in 1913 and in 1923, respectively; and in each case the amount per head of the population?

It is estimated that the amounts raised in rates by all local authorities in the financial year 1913–14 was £71,276,000, representing £1 18s. 11d. per head of population, and in the financial year 1923–24 was £144,000,000, representing £3 14s. 10d. per head of population.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes, before the introduction of his Bill on rating and valuation, to state the policy of the Government with regard to the rating of machinery?

My right hon. Friend is in consultation with the interests concerned and the local authorities with reference to the Report of the Departmental Committee, but he cannot undertake to make any statement before the introduction of the Rating and Valuation Bill.

asked the Minister of Health if local old age pension committees are instructed to pay old age pensions to qualified applicants from the date of qualification or only from the date when the proof of the qualified age is produced?

An old age pension is payable as from the first Friday after a claim is received, or, if the claimant is not at the date of making the claim entitled to a pension, from the first Friday after he becomes so entitled.

asked the Minister of Health what losses have been sustained by the Public Works Loan Commissioners owing to the sale of houses by public utility societies in the years 1923 and 1924; and what is the estimated loss for 1925 and 1926?

The amounts paid to the Public Works Loan Commissioners from moneys provided in the Vote for the Ministry of Health in order to indemnify the Commissioners against losses arising through the repayment by public utility societies, before the due date, of housing loans when the repayments are due to the sale of houses are:

Year.				£
1923–24	…	…	…	75,080
1924–25	…	…	…	82,152

The amounts required for future years depend on the number of sales anticipated. For 1925–26 the sum required has been estimated at £60,000. I am unable at this stage to estimate the amount required for 1926–27.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that two houses in North Street, St. Andrews, which were formerly occupied by coastguardsmen, have appeared in the valuation roll as vacant for over 12 months: and whether, in view of the housing shortage in St. Andrews, he will take steps to ensure that these houses are immediately made available for occupancy?

It has only recently been decided that the two houses in question will not in future be required for coastguard purposes, and steps are now being taken to dispose of them.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses started and the number completed during the quarter ended 31st March, 1925; the number in course of construction on 31st March, 1925; and, for comparison, the corresponding figures for the same period and date, respectively, of 1924?

Particulars as to progress of house-building are obtained half-yearly as regards houses erected by private enterprise without State financial assistance, and I hope that particulars for the period to the 31st March will shortly be available. As regards State-assisted houses, returns are obtained monthly. The latest figures available are for the 1st March last. During the three months ending that date, 21,758 houses were commenced in England and Wales in connection with State-assisted schemes, 21,346 were completed, and 54,586 were under construction at the end of the period. The corresponding figures for the same period in 1924 were 16,042, 4,970 and 27,742.

asked the Minister of Health the county authorities in England and Wales which have inaugurated a scheme for the provision of houses for the use of constables in rural districts, thus freeing houses which would be normally used by workers on the land, and, incidentally, supplying the police with a standard house specially designed for a constable's requirements; whether in these eases the ratepayers are saved expense due to paying high rents; and whether he will urge on other county councils the advantages of this scheme?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. A number of county police authorities have adopted schemes for the building of houses for constables in rural districts, some of whom build to a standard plan, but I regret that I am unable to give a list without more detailed inquiry. I agree that the policy is probably advantageous, but I do not think that it is necessary for me at present to make any representations to police authorities on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that some misapprehension exists in the trades and industries affected by the proposed draft Regulations issued by the Ministry of Health in regard to preservatives in food; whether these Regulations are merely preliminary proposals; and whether an opportunity will be given to those concerned to submit their views before the Regulations are adopted in their final form?

The Regulations at present published are in the form of a draft, and are subject to reconsideration and amendment in the light of representations received. My right hon. Friend has already received representations from a number of the trades concerned, and although the statutory period of 40 days has expired, he will be pleased to give an opportunity to others who may be interested to submit their views, provided that they do so without loss of time.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities in England and Wales possess public abattoirs?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot give the exact number—it is approximately 100.

asked the Minister of Health what local authorities are now providing milk for mothers and young children?

According to the information in my right hon. Friend's Department, this service is now provided by 426 local authorities in England and Wales. I will send the hon. Member a list of them.

asked the Minister of Health if there are any boroughs or counties that have made no provision for maternity and child welfare: and, if so, would he give the names of the boroughs and counties, and say what action he proposes to take for their introduction?

The answer to the first part of the question is that provision for maternity and child welfare may be made either by the county council or by the local sanitary authority, and such provision has been made for every sanitary district in England and Wales. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that considerable uneasiness has arisen in Didsbury amongst the users of Manchester Corporation motor omnibuses from the fact that some of these vehicles are at times used to convey tubercular patients to and from the Baguley Sanatorium, a distance of approximately five miles, and are afterwards placed on the ordinary service without being disinfected; and will he take steps to prevent them being used for this purpose, or, failing this, to ensure that they are properly disinfected before being used for ordinary passengers?

My right hon. Friend has been in communication with the Manchester Corporation in this matter, and is informed that arrangements have now been made for the disinfection of the omnibuses, in the circumstances described, before they are used by ordinary passengers.

asked the Minister of Health what is the criterion of successful vaccination adopted in the classification of small-pox cases by the medical officers of the Ministry?

The officers in question classify on the statements of the medical officers of the hospitals to which the cases are admitted as to the presence or absence of vaccination cicatrices.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a household refuse dump in Water Eaton Road, Bletchley, within some 20 yards of the dwelling houses in the road, is a serious danger to the health of the residents, being infested with rats and flies; that a death from diphtheria occurred in this road quite recently, and that there are other cases in the vicinity; and, if so, will he take steps to deal with this public danger?

I have no information regarding this refuse dump, and am making inquiries of the district council.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether temporary ex-service civil servants now under notice owing to reduction of staff will, none the less, be afforded an opportunity of competing at the coming examination held to select the candidates for the permanent establishment; and whether he will state the principles upon which the reduction of staff, where necessary, will be carried out?

Ex-service temporary staff who comply with the conditions as to temporary civilian service laid down in paragraph 19 of the Third Report of the Southborough Committee, and incorporated in the Regulations for the forthcoming examination to be held in accordance with that Report, will not be debarred from sitting for that examination on account of the fact that they may not, at the time, be employed in the Government service. The discharge of temporary staff, where necessary, is, so far as possible, and subject to considerations of efficiency, conducted on the basis of the recommendation contained in paragraph 15 of the First Report of the Lytton Committee on the Appointment of Ex-Service Men to Posts in the Civil Service, that preference in the matter of retention should be given first to disabled ex-service persons, then to persons with service overseas, and then to other ex-service personnel.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount per head of the population expended in respect of each of the public services undertaken or contributed to by the State in 1913 and in 1923, respectively?

I am having the information prepared and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT this week.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can arrange that in the next Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue the table formerly published, showing the estimated number of Income Tax payers in various income groups, shall be again inserted?

I regret that, following the change in the system of graduation of the Income Tax, introduced by the Finance Act, 1920, the statistical information required for classifying the total number of taxpayers according to the amount of their total incomes could only be obtained at a considerable cost, which I should not be justified in authorising.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what number of the 2,400,000 persons actually paying Income Tax in 1923–24 were paying on incomes of under £500 and on incomes of between £500 and £1,000?

I regret that, following the change in the system of graduation of the Income Tax, introduced by the Finance Act, 1920, there is no statistical information available for classifying the total number of taxpayers according to the amount of their total incomes. The necessary material could only be procured at a considerable expenditure of time and labour, which I am not prepared to authorise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of arrears of Income Tax and Super-tax outstanding 31st March, 1925?

Sufficient time has not yet elapsed since the close of the financial year to enable me to furnish precise estimates of the arrears of Income Tax and Super-tax outstanding at the 31st March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated number of persons liable to Super-tax during the financial year ended 31st March, 1924; what was the estimated total income of those persons for Super-tax purposes; and their estimated average individual income?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave on this subject on 2nd April to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Lees-Smith).

asked the Secretary for Mines the number and place of accidents in connection with coal mining in shafts, due to sinking operations, overwinding, and breakage of ropes, and on inclined planes due to breakage of ropes and runaway trams, respectively; and the number of lives lost for each year from 1884 to 1924?

This information is not available in the form in which the hon. Member asks for it, and it would be a very laborious task to compile it. I hope that he will discuss with me the possibility of meeting the object of the question in some other way.

asked the Secretary for Mines if ho has the information and, if not, will he take the necessary steps to collect the same, as to how many collieries in Germany employ winding engines with steam drive and electric drive, respectively; what is the total number of accidents due to overwinding during the last 10 years; and how many of such accidents have occurred where electric drive is used?

This information is not in my possession, but I will see whether it can be obtained.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will give consideration to the safety appliances for the purpose of arresting carves that are carrying men to and from their work underground in the event of the rope breaking and other causes, with a view to their compulsory adoption?

Very careful consideration is being given to the whole problem of the safe conveyance of men underground, but insistence on the general use of devices of this kind is not practicable at present.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is considering a scheme whereby supervisors from another grade should be introduced into the Royal Naval Store Department; whether he is aware that the prevailing system of promotion is by the passing of an examination for the established post of a store-houseman, and that successful candidates have to serve about 21 years before obtaining promotion to inspector and afterwards to foreman; and whether, in the interests of the staff affected, he will oppose any modification in the existing system of promotion which has been followed?

No such scheme for modifying the existing scheme of recruitment and promotion of storehousemen in the Royal Naval Store Department is contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for War what the total strength of the cadet movement is apart from the Church Lads Brigade; and whether he is prepared to secure issue of free kit and the restoration of the cadet grant and adequate facilities for camp?

The total strength of the Territorial Cadet Force, apart from the Church Lads Brigade, is 32,409. It is not proposed to issue free kit to cadet units, but they are allowed to purchase certain articles of equipment from Government stocks at a low price. Recognised cadet units already enjoy facilities for camp in the way of the use of Government ground and the loan of camp equipment, so far as Army stocks permit. The question of the restoration of the cadet grant is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of rejections for enlistment and also in view of the need of an effective Territorial Army, he will consider setting up a small committee to encourage the development of the Territorial Cadet Force?

The Territorial Cadet Force is administered by the Council of County Associations who are advised by a committee composed of persons either connected with cadet organisations or whose experience is such as specially to qualify them for the direction of the Force. I do not think that any committee could be set up which would be better qualified to encourage the development of the Territorial Cadet Force.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers, of what grades, and the pay and allowances of these grades, respectively, in the Department of the Director of Staff Duties now and in 1913?

The officer staff of the Directorate of Staff Duties is composed at present as follows:

		With pay and allowances per annum of.
		£
1	Director	2,005
4	General staff officers, 1st grade	1,273
12	General staff officers, 2n grade	960
7	General staff officers, 3rd grade	755
1	Quartermaster	729
1	Attached officer	658

Two posts of General staff officer, grade 3, are vacant, i.e., only five are at present employed, and it is intended, if possible, not to fill these vacancies.The corresponding staff in 1913 was:

		Consolidated pay per annum.
		£
1	Director	1,500
3	General staff officers, 1st grade	800
9	General staff officers, 2nd grade	650
7	General staff officers, 3rd grade	500
1	Quartermaster, £300—£15—£450 per annum;

and part time of an assistant Adjutant-General whose total pay was £800 per annum.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can give comparative figures showing

—		1913–14.	1925–26
(1)	Total, Vote A	185,600	156,000
(2)	Cost of the Royal Army Pay Corps, including civilian clerks.	£203,040 (being £1·09 per head of Vote A).	£409,280 (being £2·61 per head of Vote A).
(3)	Cost of the Corps of Military Accountants, including civilian clerks.	—	£257,500 (being £1·64 per head of Vote A).
(4)	Cost of financial staff of the War Office, including Local Audit staff in Commands.	£128,715 (being £·69 per head of Vote A).	£258,220 (being £1·65 per head of Vote A).

The increases in cost are largely accounted for by the increases in the rates of pay of the officers and men of the Army included under (2), and the addition of the Civil Service bonus under (4). Further, the work of the Royal Army Pay Corps has been substantially increased since 1913–14 by the introduction of marriage allowance into the Army and by the payment of pensions weekly instead of quarterly; the Corps of Military Accountants performs duties which did not exist in 1913–14; while the general increase in the work of the War Office, to which the Secretary of State referred in the recent Debate on the Army Estimates, affects the financial equally with other branches.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to an Order in Council published in the London Gazette, 19th December, 1924, in which the fact is disclosed that pensioner warrant officers and ratings of the Royal Navy and pensioner warrant officers and ranks of the Royal Marines,

The clerical personnel of the Army is distributed over its several branches, and it is not possible to state its total cost. For the rest, the following are the figures asked for, in so far as they are available, but I must point out that, owing to the different form in which the Estimates were prepared in 1913–14, the figures for that year are in some respects less complete than those for 1925–26:granted temporary commissions in the Army during the Great War, if demobilised in the rank of second-lieutenant, were to receive retired pay of £200, with an additional £5 for each complete years service in the rank; and, in view of this added concession on the part of the Admiralty and Treasury to seamen and marine pensioners who obtained temporary commissions in the Army during the War, which could not be disclosed to the Barnes Committee in April of last year, will he bear this fact in mind when he takes into consideration the claim of the pensioner warrant officers and ranks of the Army granted temporary commissions during the Great War, many of whom rose to high rank, but are now in receipt of pensions of the non-commissioned rank held when commissioned, the average of which is £75 a year?

I am aware of the Admiralty Order in Council to which the hon. and gallant Member refers. Its effect is to enable a very small class of Marine pensioners, who had been granted temporary commissions in the Army, to be awarded the terms that they would have received had they been commissioned in the Marines, allowing for the fact that the service of a lieutenant in the Marines is regarded as equivalent to that of a captain in the Army, and that the rank of second-lieutenant does not exist in the Marines. The terms embodied in this Order in Council had been approved and applied for at least a year before the promulgation of the Order in Council, and this was known to the Barnes Committee, who referred to the matter in paragraph 23 of their Report, which the Government are proposing to the House to adopt.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of new claims for pension submitted in the three months ending 31st March in respect of disabilities due to war service, by widows, and by parents for need pensions, respectively; and the number of claims to pension in each section rejected during the three months?

The figures of new claims, in respect of both officers and men, decided during the three months ended 31st March, 1925, are as follow:

—	First Awards	Rejections.	Total Cases Decided.
Disability Pensions	1,813	2,962	4,775
Widows	1,082	1,784	2,866
Dependants	594	607	1,201
Total	3,489	5,353	8,842

asked the Minister or Agriculture what is the estimated world's consumption and world's production of wheat for the year 1925?

I regret that it is impossible to make any estimate so early in the year of the production of wheat for 1925. I would, however, refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave on the 23rd March last, in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, in which I stated that the International Institute of Agriculture estimated the total world's production (with the exception of one or two countries) of wheat in the cereal year, 1924–25, at 1,648 million cwts., and the world's requirement at about the same figure.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he will supply an abstract of annual reports by medical officers upon each of the schools in the parishes of Rutherglen, Blantyre and Cambuslang for the years 1919 to 1924?

I regret that the information for particular schools is not immediately available, and it would take the Lanarkshire Education Authority some time to obtain it. If the hon. Member desires to pursue the matter, perhaps he will be good enough to let me know in further detail what are the precise points on which information is required.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what, according to the latest information, are the numbers of men and women teachers, respectively, in primary schools in Scotland; and how many men and women teachers, respectively, are in possession of University degrees?

The number of teachers in primary schools in Scotland at 31st March, 1924, the latest date for which complete information is available, was 3,755 men and 14,508 women. Of these, 1,296 men and 129 women were graduates.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is intended, in view of the withdrawal next year of the grants received from the Government and the London County Council, to close the Finsbury Technical College; and whether, on account of the important educational work being carried on there, he would be prepared to reconsider the whole matter;(2) what was the reason for withdrawing the financial support given to the City and Guilds institute, Leonard Street, Finsbury?

I am aware that the City and Guilds of London Institute propose to discontinue the Finsbury Technical College as from 31st July, 1926. The college does not receive direct grants from the Board, but the London County Council make an annual contribution to the college, which is recognised by the Board for grant. Having regard to the provision of similar courses which is made elsewhere in London, the Council who are responsible for co-ordinating the supply of education in London, have decided to terminate their contribution next year, and, in consequence, the institute are not prepared to continue the college. I do not think that there is anything in the circumstances in which the decisions of the Council and of the institute have been taken, which calls for my intervention.